


Hypothetically

by Hooda



Series: Anthology [9]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Cassian has a thing for Leias PA, F/M, Jyn pops up randomly around cassian's work life, LA, Modern Setting, Writers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2017-05-02
Packaged: 2018-10-26 20:10:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10793901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hooda/pseuds/Hooda
Summary: “Hypothetically speaking, what would it take for you to stop stomping your foot so much?”Cassian looks up from his computer screen at the young woman standing at the entrance of his depressingly drab cubicle. Her bangs fall short of her eyes that at first could be hazel, or just as easily green when the light hits them from a different angle. She stands there with her arms crossed across her front and tapping a pen frustratingly against the fabric of her blazer.“Sorry, what?”The woman huffs out as if he was the lowest minded person she had yet to speak to today. She points a finger accusingly at the lower portion of his desk, towards his feet.“The tapping. I’m sorry to be so blunt here, but it’s driving me nuts.”





	Hypothetically

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired to write something outside of the typical "Star Wars" universe and opted for a short LA one-shot where these two work in the same office. Enjoy!

“Hypothetically speaking, what would it take for you to stop stomping your foot so much?”

Cassian looks up from his computer screen at the young woman standing at the entrance of his depressingly drab cubicle. Her bangs fall short of her eyes that at first could be hazel, or just as easily green when the light hits them from a different angle. She stands there with her arms crossed across her front and tapping a pen frustratingly against the fabric of her blazer.

“Sorry, what?”

The woman huffs out as if he was the lowest minded person she had yet to speak to today. She points a finger accusingly at the lower portion of his desk, towards his feet.

“The tapping. I’m sorry to be so blunt here, but it’s driving me nuts.”

Cassian opens his mouth to say something as a rebuttal, but comes up short. The woman wasn't wrong: his feet naturally fell into a rhythm with the music he selected from his online streaming services at work. Even Kay - his roommate and long time college party buddy - complained occasionally from different parts of the house they were jointly renting.

“Didn’t realize I was doing it…” he drawls off at the end, an open invitation for her to hopefully drop her name. If he was going to properly apologize, Cassian wanted to at least know the name other another co-worker.

“Jyn.”

“Didn’t realize I was doing it again, _Jyn._ Sorry.”

Jyn stiffly pulls at the blazer she wears over a striped shirt and a pair of dark jeans. Absentmindedly, she blows out a breath, ruffling a strip of bangs.

Cassian quickly peeks back down at his screen, looking for the pause button to his endless stream of music. By the time he looks back up a few seconds later, Jyn was gone.

_______

One of the greatest benefits of Cassian’s workplace at the editorial center while working for _Alliance Daily_ was the endless source of inspiration just beyond the break area window. With panes stretching almost eight feet in height and the length of probably the entire room, one could sit sipping a late morning boost of coffee and watch as the hustle of the city sprawled through the streets.

Los Angeles was a maze of colors and breaths of characters that passed by the break room window-wall. There was the blind homeless who sat across the street, his back always leaning into the stone wall of the bank. There were the mothers with laden strollers and shopping bags dangling from their arms. More often than not, there were the flashy sports cars that sauntered down the street, their bright hues and suave engines catching the attention of onlookers.

_______

“Hypothetically speaking, would you be interested in covering a movie premiere?” Jyn materializes at his side as he eats lunch with Kay in the break room. He practically half-chokes on his soda.

Kay continues chewing on his salad, eyebrows each slowly gravitating towards their mate over the edge of his black glasses. His scrutinizing glare has no effect on Jyn who waits until Cassian is done coughing before shooting again.

“There’s a premiere happening this weekend and we’re short a reporter. Would you be interested?” Her bright red shirt matches the hue of lipstick she wears today. A single loose braid holds her mess of frizzling hair back.

From behind a napkin Cassian mutters, “Yeah sure. Have someone email the details.” Jyn scribbles something down on the iPad in her hands. She turns on her heel so quickly to rush off to another part of the office Cassian can barely get another word in before she whisks away.

Kay points his fork in the direction of Cassian’s untouched leftover chicken and vegetable rice. “You going to finish that?”

_______

He likes the burning feeling in his legs from the rush of keeping up with celebrities. Dresses and suits flash past his eyes in blurs of blacks, tans, reds and golds. Women doused in light perfumes whisk past him, prying for the attention of flashing cameras; muscled men with rich tones laugh with hands to their chests at the questions Cassian presents them.

Bodhi tags along on Cassian’s heels the entire night, camera in hand. In another world, Cassian distantly wonders if Bodhi could have been an actor. His suit for the night fits his slender body like it was tailored for his every curve rather than bought at the local Men’s Warehouse on sale.

Later that night as they sip cool beers at a nearby bar, Bodhi laughs at Cassian’s assumption. They clink their drinks together with a toast to a night of work well done and to a morning of nursing headaches from the amount of screaming from adoring fans that night.

_______

“Hypothetically speaking,” Jyn starts - eyes plastered to her iPad screen and pencil tucked behind an ear to ward off her growing bangs, - “would you be up for a promotion?”

Cassian almost lets his newly refilled mug of coffee slip from his hands and onto his lap. With wide eyes he looks up to Jyn, who stands waiting patiently at the entrance of his cubicle.

“A promotion?”

Jyn shrugs indifferently.

“You know: extra salary pay, some additional vacation days, maybe even a new office space.” She eyes the standard issue Apple monitor at the corner of his desk and the meager few photos he has tacked to the pliant back wall of the cubicle. Taco, the overweight Chihuahua he adopted two summers ago, dominates the majority of those photos.

Cassian runs a hand through his growing hair, fingers pinching some hairs to perk his alertness on this slow morning.

“I guess - well…” he stumbles over his words for a moment.

“If it helps to know, it’s not that big of a promotion.” Jyn takes the open extra seat in his cubicle like it was meant for her all along. Her white Keds looked like they had been scuffed in the city streets, but went well with the torn-at-the-knee jeans and white shirt she fitted for the day. The coffee mug pushes over a couple inches when the clipboard of information and paperwork comes to rest at the end of Cassian’s desk.

He stares blankly at the form.

**Primary Editor**

Jyn flashes him a small grin in hopes of lowering his nerves.

“Leia just wants to know if you're interested,” she tells him calmly, hands coming to rest in her lap. “And that you have until next week to decide.”

Cassian blows out a nervous breath that struggles to diffuse the little ball of nerves settling into the bottom of his gut. He shifts enough in his swivel chair to half face Jyn. The pencil threatens to fall from its perch behind her ear.

“What do you do here?” he blurts out after a minute of staring.

Jyn perks up, eyes flashing to meet his with a lisp of question in them. Between them the mug of coffee sits steaming and the papers forgotten for a few seconds. Kay laughs from somewhere in the office, far away but always loud.

“I’m Leia Organa’s PA.” The words roll off her tongue fluidly, like it was the most obvious answer in the universe. “I organize and coordinate office affairs, keep her schedule clean and ready to go, meet with the advisors-,”

“-and _hypothetically_ _speaking_ ,” Cassian chimes in with a smirk, “what would you _rather_ be doing?” With her eyes opened so wide, Cassian sees now that her eyes are actually green.

“Writing. I’d rather be writing.” She smiles and Cassian raises his coffee to his lips. With his other hand he reaches for a pen to sign the promotion form.

_______

“Hypothetically speaking,” he asks one late afternoon as she sips Coke from the can across from him in the break room. She doesn't look up from her task at hand, which was organizing Leia’s next day on her trusty iPad.

“Yeah?” Jyn answers him absentmindedly, fingers typing furiously.

“If I asked you out to a concert this weekend as a date, would you accept?”

Jyn slows for a moment, shrugs, then plows on again. She shrugs.

“Maybe, so long as you don’t tap your foot to the beat.”

In his cubicle miles from the break room, Kay laughs hysterically.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments - pos or neg - are always welcomed!


End file.
